Catching Stars
by AJSky7
Summary: It's been three years since Arnold has left for South America, but he doesn't realize just what exactly he's left behind. Helga is ready to move away once school is over, but as hard as she tries she can't move away from her feelings. A lot has happened in the three years Arnold's been gone, and it takes just one familiar face to make everyone realize just how precious life is.
1. The Same Old Changes

_**The Same Old Changes**_

* * *

 _Helga:_

I used to wait for something to excite me. Despite what people probably think about me, I actually try to be optimistic. It takes an honest effort to be the way I am, to know that everything eventually turns to shit, but to try to look forward to something anyway. Someone taught me that.

But not even an avant guard cynic like me could see how absolutely horrid the summer turned out to be. Seriously, it just really sucked in the worst way. It would be something that would've broken me down if not for my ever so patient psychologist. I promised her I would take each day for what it was and not a million for what they could or couldn't be, so that's what I did this summer: I tried to stay sane.

I've been sleeping in a big house by myself two weeks now, but it doesn't matter, I'm still sane.

My best friend has been gone all summer so I've been alone basking in my sanity...

All I had to do was remain sane enough for one more year. For as soon as the final bell of my senior year rings, I will officially be out of this town and away from this life. Only those important to me will know where I end up.

I mean, I'm just tired, you know? I'm sorry to lay this on so thick so soon, but I promised myself I would make this year known that Helga G. Pataki is playing no games. It's the first day of my senior year today I've laid all my cards on the table. I signed up for all AP classes, I'm volunteering at the hospital this semester, and I just finished up a summer track meet. Do I want to dedicate all my free time to school? Hell no. But it's the only investment I have right now to guarantee that I won't end up like my parents…that I won't end up like the scared broken girl I was turning into a few years ago, that I won't end up dead before living the life that I truly desire.

So what's sparked this fire deep in my belly this go 'round, huh? Why am I so determined? Eventually you'll find out about the misadventures of me, but until then, there's something that I've got to handle before school starts.

* * *

 _Arnold:_

I was always good at waiting. Patience was my signature, and everyone knew me for that. I need people to have patience with me so it's only right I do the same for them. But the problem with it being so easy to wait for something, is that you don't know what to do when you finally get it. No one taught me that.

So like, what am I supposed to do? Jump for joy? Cry a river of tears? Hug every random person I see? I'm mad I don't have an answer for this. I usually have an answer for everything. I squeeze onto her hand a little tighter as I sit at her bedside. Right now it seems to be the only logical thing to do.

I feel her shift under her sheets a little, and I look up. Her eyes start to open and she stares at the ceiling for a while before turning towards me.

"Arnold…" her morning voice calls my name, and I squeeze a little tighter in reflex.

"Hey, Mom…"

* * *

 _Helga:_

Getting to school early was like a little gem in my day I didn't realize I'd enjoy so much. There's no little idiots running the hall and all the teachers are too busy still downing their mugs of coffee and energy drinks to pay you any attention. I mindlessly spin around in one of the chairs of the front office waiting for the senior counselor to unlock her door. There were things I needed to handle.

"Helga…?" I finally hear her calling to me as she comes walking up with keys in hand.

"G'morning!" I manage to sound all chipper and what not.

But she just gives a cautious smile. "And what exactly are you doing here so early?"

"What does it look like, Dr. B? I'm here to grace you with my presence, doi."

Dr. Bliss is, by the way, one of those important people that I'll make sure knows where I end up. Having her accept the senior school counselor job for Quincy High was bittersweet; I wouldn't have to walk as far for our sessions but those sessions were extremely limited and I had to share her with the rest of the seniors. But it was never school that I needed help with, so code of conduct or not, I'd always make my way to her office to discuss the important matters. Life.

She opens her door and welcomes me in.

"Alrighty, what can I do for you, Miss Pataki? Nervous about your first day back?"

"Actually…" I sigh, not feeling like bantering around anymore. "I'm sorta here on selfish reasons," and I sit back down on another swivel chair. My chair. I've claimed it.

"You're always here on selfish reasons," she laughs.

"Yeah, yeah, true," which it was, "But this time it's not completely selfish. There's this friend that I have that isn't starting school yet, but he might be soon and—

"Hold on a minute, I think I know where you're getting at," and she starts to dig around in her filing drawer before grabbing a big manila envelope. "The principal gave this to me yesterday. It's the transcript for one of your old friends that should be welcoming themselves back to Quincy in a few weeks. Is Arnold really who you want to talk about?"

…

And just like that, one of the topics of my many misadventures come crashing back into my head.

* * *

 _Arnold:_

"Hey Mom…" I drag out a little more than anticipated. Man, I will never stop loving saying that.

She cocks a small smile while staring down at our hands. "Honey, I'm still here. Still breathing, you don't have to squeeze my hand off."

"Oh." Was I doing that? Did I hurt her? "Sorry," and I quickly pull my hand back. This was the one thing I always hated: visiting people in hospitals. How was I supposed to know what they needed? What would make them feel better? Have I been doing the wrong things for the past three years of being here? Do I look as awkward as I feel right now?

But she just starts laughing. "Don't worry, honey, I'm not poisonous," and she reaches for my hand to place back on her own. "There we go. That's better."

And she smiles at me.

Man…it was like looking in a mirror. Except she was _way_ more beautiful. I almost want to squeeze my own face when I look at her: did I grow into my head like she did? What would I look like with her chestnut hair? How would it feel to tell my daughter one day, " _You know, you look just like your grandma_ "? But then, I feel myself slipping back into the _I-finally-have-my-mommy-back_ void, so I pull back and search for the usual morning questions.

"So," I start. "How are you feeling?"

She absently rubs her thumbs across my hand and stares up at the ceiling. "Not bad, actually. Still have the morning grogginess in me but I'm excited to finally get up out of this bed!" and the way she shuts her eyes and smile at that makes me wanna hug her again. Why was my mom so awesome?

She then looks back at me. "Where are your grandparents?

"Still sleeping," and I motion to the small couch to the corner. As if on cue, Grandpa lets out a big snore before readjusting himself. We share the same chuckle.

"Of course they are," and she turns back to me. "We're gonna have to get them up soon so we can get out of here!" And like she was twelve she sits up in her bed and crosses her legs. "So, tell me what to expect again when we go back to Hillwood! Do we have all of the same boarders? Does the park still look the same? Ooh, I wonder if that hospital job's still open I applied for… Man! I feel like I've been in a coma for ten years or something!" and she covers her mouth a little with her hand, trying not to laugh at her own joke.

I laugh a little, too, but still instantly get reminded of how long it's really been.

 _My mom's been in a coma for ten years…_

* * *

 _Helga:_

"So you really didn't email Arnold back over the summer?" Dr. Bliss repeats what it took me two minutes to practically say.

How, _how_ did I end up having this conversation? Honestly, he wasn't even who I was talking about! But Dr. Bliss was one of the only people to have a true front seat to all that's happened to me in the past few years since he left, so once his name got dug back up, I couldn't help it… I got trapped back into his football headed little web.

"No…" I pull a bit on my hair. "But in my defense a lot of things happened. And every time I've gotten a chance to sit down and think of something…I don't know, I just _mess up_. My heart bleeds onto my psyche and cripples my ability to form sentences. It fucking sucks."

She laughs a little. "I will always love your ability to be so articulate and so crass at the same time."

I didn't like the piquing levels of emotion I was feeling talking about this, but still, for some reason I persisted. "I'm serious, Dr. B! Even if I could've replied back a hundred times, how was I supposed to respond to what…what he said?"

She seemed unfazed. "You mean when he said he missed you? You could've just been honest, Helga. You could've just said you missed him too."

She just didn't get it. I suck my teeth and rest my cheek on my fist. "No, no I couldn't. How do you know I _wasn't_ being honest? What if I really don't miss him? He's the one that left for South America. Why do I need every little thing he does to affect me?"

"I get it Helga, I really do. And you shouldn't let every little thing _anyone_ does affect you. But you can't deny, Helga, with Arnold it's different. You two have been through a lot. You're no longer the same 14 year old girl that ran away. I think that's what you wanted to show Arnold. With you guys writing these letters back and forth while he's been gone, I think it's been easier for you to open up to him, and show him that you've been okay after he left."

I lean back on the box, staring up at the sky again. "…for all he knows, anyway. But that's all he does need to know. I don't want to revert back to the same manic little girl I was when I was in love with him. Yeah my life isn't exactly sunshiny farts and rainbows right now, but his is. And he doesn't need all my crap tainting it."

"He has been living a grand life, I will say that."

"Yup," I nod, "dude got his parents back."

* * *

 _Arnold:_

This is it. This is the moment I've been waiting for. In a few minutes my mom is gonna come out of that hospital room and never have to return. We're finally going to take her home after years of just dreaming for it. This is what I was talking about earlier: the dream becoming a reality.

And I'm freakin' terrified.

"What are we gonna do now?" I ask Grandpa.

"Whad'ya mean, Shortman?"

"I mean, there is a free room at the boarding house, right? Do you think she's gonna try to get that job at the hospital again? What about her passport? Has it expired? I mean, it's been over ten years, I'm sure it-"

"Calm down there, boy! I can barely follow ya!" and he squeezes my shoulder a bit. "Don't worry, Arnold. We got everything under control. I talked with Susie back home and she's got a nice suite all made up for your mom. We got a few new boarders, nothing much, and your Grandma faked a passport so we're golden!"

I quickly shrug away. "What!?"

"It wasn't that hard, actually. We just found some kid in an alley who was able to get his hands on one of those special copier machines and-"

"GRANDPA!"

But he just started laughing. "Cheese and crackers, Shortman! You're always so easy to rattle up! My favorite past time, I tell ya!"

I could never tell what did and what didn't constitute as a joke to my grandpa. He is both the easiest and the hardest person to talk to and God, does he drive me crazy. I just roll my eyes and stand up, needing to move around until something—

Three bodies suddenly walk out of the hospital room. Thank goodness.

"Well, Arnold, I'm a free woman," my mom smiles while coming up to me. Did I mention how much I love her smile? It's as if my mind goes on a tangent whenever that happens and I always have to comment on it in the back of my mind.

…Like I'm doing now. Okay, I'll stop. "Good!" I say. "Are we able to leave now?"

"I believe we are," but she looks toward the doctor just to be sure. He finally nods.

"I already have another box of medicine shipped to your primary care physician in the states," the doctor clarified, "along with the box I'm leaving your mother with. It's something that's not available in any normal pharmacy, so it's still up to us to give your parents the best of care."

My parents…

I try my best not to upset my mother when I speak next, but the subject just isn't as easy as all our other conversations have been. I knew what was going on. As naïve as some people claim me to be, I'm good at measuring the weight of situations, ya know? And this one…this was heavy.

"And my...father?"

I hate when doctors do this, carry on a life altering conversation without even blinking. This guy was the master at it, too. "Mr. Shortman's state," he continued, "hasn't physically improved enough for us to make the same call. The same medicine we've given to your mother seems to be helping his immune system, which is a step in the right direction. But his brain activity is still unresponsive. That plane impact caused some pretty severe damage and dire-"

"That's okay," my mom interrupts fast. "My husband is strong. When he wakes up, he'll wake up. Can't always think of every situation as dire, right, doctor?" and she smiles while crossing her arms.

Did I tell you another cool thing my mom can do? She can cry without anyone knowing. I feel like that's what she's doing right now. On the inside.

I wanted a matching set. Parents should always be like shoes: come in pairs of two. Yeah, you _can_ only have one shoe, but how can you keep all your toes warm?

Simply put, I'm not giving up on anything. I forced my grandparents to buy an extra ticket to Hillwood just in case Dad woke up, and I still have it in my pocket. Just in case.

Yeah, I know. Naïve suits me well.

* * *

 _Helga:_

"…He's not coming back empty handed, you know." I start it up again. "I got the mass text he sent everyone last night. Apparently his mom has been responding well to the treatments and she doesn't have to be in the hospital anymore. So they're in the middle of packing their things and…should be back to Hillwood within the next few weeks."

She leans forward a bit. "What about his dad?" How I hate thinking about my lack of an answer for this question.

I just scratch my head and try to put it the best way I could. "He didn't say. He didn't mention his dad really to any of his other friends. But he told me in the last letter he sent that he was still comatose. I wonder what they're gonna do."

She had to catch on to how exasperated this conversation was making me. She tucked his file back away and stood up to start opening her blinds, letting the day in. "Well, when you see him be sure to send him my good wishes. He's a very special boy, I'll say that. Not everyone gets the miracle of being reunited with long lost family like that."

"Yes…" I sigh, speaking more so to myself. "He's very special indeed."

* * *

Sometimes I really couldn't understand how Arnold dealt. He really is like a little boy wonder. If you can't already tell, he's been gone from Hillwood for almost three years now, whisked away to South America be with his parents.

The boy got his parents back.

 _How surreal is that?_

But, it isn't the fairy tale ending any of us expected. Our fifth grade trip was practically a giant ruse for him to magically find them. But the answers he got three year later wasn't magical. It was more along the lines of…tragic.

His parents were alive, thank God. But "alive" was more on the imperative. His mom…she caught the sleeping sickness they spent so many years fighting, and his dad…? Got the brunt of a bad plane crash.

 _Bad_ bad.

Comatose for eleven years and counting.

When Arnoldo got a letter from a hospital in Lima, Peru, he was flipping off the walls. A mad hatter; All the greatest actors in the world couldn't muster up more emotion than him. No one really saw Arnold as happy as he was that day. And no one was as happy for him than me.

Really, no one.

I'm not trying to be selfish here. I'm not trying to one-up his best friend or make light of his grandparents, but they weren't there when the two of us were being chased down by lunatic river pirates. They weren't there when La Sombra fucked with his head and made up how he killed both his parents with his bare hands. They didn't see his face. See his tears. See his absolute desperation.

I did.

And no one wanted to cry with him as much as I did in that moment. So when he got that letter, you're damn right I gave him the biggest hug my arms could muster; you're damn right I threw our past out the window and let him get on that plane to see his mother; you're damn right I never told him…

That I was still in love with him.

Petty childhood crushes have no room for family miracles.

I needed little boy wonder to work his magic where it really counted and forget about me.

Doesn't mean I'd forget about him, though. Talking with Dr. B made me realize even more…little boy wonder still had his hold on me.

Son of a bitch.

* * *

 **A/N: It's been a long time since I've written a Hey Arnold story, but this first chapter has been half finished in my computer for years and it's always been a story I've wanted to tell. This time it's gotten tweaked for the better. Arnold is returning to Hillwood soon but with a whole new life, and Helga can't wait to do the same, but this time away from the town that's caused her so much grief. This is my take on what life is like after TJM, and why Arnold and Helga's friendship is so precious and has the capability to make us feel the way we do, and write these stories lol. Hope you all like it!**


	2. The House That Built Me

_**The House That Built Me**_

 _Arnold_

So…I'm on my way home. Back to the states. On my way to the good ol' _U S of A_ —where the deer and the antelope play.

…Excuse me, I just woke up. Planes make me extra sleepy.

But through my weary head, I was excited. In a few more hours, my feet were gonna finally touch the concrete scarred sidewalks between Lexington and Vine. And I would be right next to my mom when doing so.

Do you wanna know what it was like leaving Hillwood? Cuz it wasn't like your tear jerking movie scene goodbye. It was probably the most selfish thing I've ever done, honestly. I knew Gerald was gonna miss me. I knew changing schools was going to be hard. I knew my grandparents would doubt my resolve. But I didn't care. I still don't. I know that leaving and meeting my mother was the smartest thing I probably will ever do. And I'm glad I did…so much.

But that doesn't mean I haven't missed anyone.

I missed the dewy-piney smell of Mrs. Vitello's flower shop on my way to school. I missed my bed, of falling asleep to the city lights down my skylight. I missed all my friends that haven't kept in touch, haha. I missed my best friend, I missed Grandma's disgusting Thanksgiving roasted peacock, I missed the crazy boarders, and— _man_ did I really miss Abner…

But I wanted to prove to all of those people that everything I did and fought for since I was nine was worth it, that I wasn't coming back empty handed.

And by far, am I gonna prove it when they see me standing next to my mom, side by side…

And they'll finally know where I get my football-shaped head from.

* * *

 _Helga_

I could just skip.

I could just turn around right now and catch the city bus back to my house. Bob's still out of town, it's not like I would miss anything, and I could take just one more day to hold on to the last bit of peace I have.

According to Arnold's last email he sent everyone, today should be the day he returns to Hillwood.

And I am not ready for it; not in the damn slightest.

But I cannot ignore the one person that's keeping me here in school right now, keeping me alert, and keeping my feet treading across the muddy waters of the high school hallway:

Once Phoebe came back from her summer in Kentucky, I hadn't realized how much I missed my best friend.

Dr. B told me that lifetime bonds don't normally happen in high school, that there is a new world outside the four years and the biggest catastrophes now turn into the tiniest trivialities later, but Phoebe being my best friend was always that one exception. It's not just high school BFFs with us, it's not just two people who've crossed the same path enough to just end up sharing company. It was the real deal, ever since I could remember.

Anyway, I found her sitting on the bench next to the front office door. She's kicking her feet against the ground and clicking away at her phone. She adjusts her glasses and sighs loud enough for me to hear. Poor bored little Asian girl, I laugh to myself.

"Ayo Phoebe!"

She looked up from her phone and smiled. "Hey Helga!"

Now that we've acknowledged each other's existence I take a squat next to her. "Lemme guess, waiting on Gerald?"

"Mhm, he had to meet with his coach right quick before first period."

I make a face. "Which one? Doesn't he have like 20 these days?"

"Football. He said that's what he wants to concentrate on this semester."

I can't help but a have a thought in the back of my head. Am I stupid enough to say it out loud? Yes. Yes I am. "I'm surprised he doesn't have the whole school talking about—

"Arnold coming home?"

Uuuuuugh. "How'd you know?"

"I got the email too, I just didn't know when _you_ wanted me to bring it up. But today's the 27th, he's should be getting in sometime today, right?"

"You know, you don't need to filter yourself around me, Pheebs. Do I particularly want Arnold to be the number one topic of conversation today? No. Am I gonna stab every kid in the throat with a pencil who says his name? Also no. I'm trying to run clean this year, can't afford the detention."

She laughed. "That's the spirit. Besides, I don't think today's going to be as dramatic as you think. No one's really been talking about it. It's been kind of anti-climactic sadly."

As weird as it was, Phoebe was right. The great Arnoldo really wasn't getting the grand welcome back he probably would be hoping for. A lot of the old gang I haven't even kept in touch with lately, and I don't have the excuse of spending the last three years in another country. I'm really not one to get all one with nostalgia. The past is for suckers. There's only one element from my past I ever allow to make a reappearance in my life and that's…

…well you already know.

* * *

 _Arnold_

"What's the story, Morning Glory?"

I jerk away from the view of the window and turn around. Looks like my mom was finally up and ready to grace me with her presence. About time. I've got ten-plus years' worth of catching up with this woman to do.

"Huh?"

She laughs. "We land in Hillwood in about an hour. You excited?"

"Oh," and I shrug, "I don't know how much more excitement I can take. A bit of it's nervousness too. I don't know how much has changed since I last left."

She takes my hand. "Looks like we're in the same boat, then. Is America even ready to handle me again? I haven't been back in so long."

I turn closer to her and prop my feet up. "So…what's something you've missed most about the city? About here in general?"

She smiles. "Besides being with the best son in the whole wide universe? Hm…" and she leaned back to look out the window herself. "It might be the boat rides to Elk Island. It's not exactly river rafting in the Rio Grande, but me and your dad would always feel like we were taking mini adventures going there. Especially with you strapped in between us."

"Are you gonna miss the adventures?"

That's when she holds my hand. "I get to be a mother again. I get my life back, sweetheart. I don't think the adventure is over for me yet."

I decide to rest my head on her shoulder, I know she would like feeling my weight on her. I really hope this new adventure is enough for her, and I really hope my dad can join us soon. There's more than enough adventure to go along.

* * *

 _Helga_

I usually hated walking to class when Phoebe was with her _beau-_ friend. It wasn't that often, not as much as when they first started dating, but whenever Gerald would be with Phoebe it would just give me this stupid weird feeling in my stomach that resembled diarrhea pains. Yeah, I know, gross. Ever since school started he would usually have his arm around her shoulder and would walk us to our first period class in the AP hall—and by us, I mean her, and I would just be awkwardly straggling along.

It was moments like these where I wish I made more of an effort to be Gerald's friend. I'm not gonna lie, outside of being Arnold's best friend and Phoebe's boyfriend I didn't really know much about him. Not the things that mattered, anyway. He was good at sports, he was our childhood "keeper of the tale," he knew everybody that was _and wasn't_ anybody, and he had hair that was almost as weird as the football head's. But when it came to him coming into my orbit, I generally took a step back. We barely ever talk about Arnold. We only talk about Phoebe when he needs to know what to get her for her birthday or for Christmas. We don't have the same friends. I used to "tall hair boy" him constantly back in our P.S. 118 days, but now it was all I could do to just pretend to play on my phone whenever he was around.

So you could imagine my utter shock and awkward stare when he called to me.

"Ayo, Helga! What's up?"

"Um, huh?"

He leaned back from Phoebe to get a better look at me as we turned a corner. " _What is going on_?" he said in such an over exaggerated tone. "You going over to Rhonda's tonight?"

I look over at Phoebe in response, a bit confused. "And I would be going over to Rhonda's…why? We've barely said two words to each other in like a year." Which is true. I was always the Mountain Dew to her cup of tea, we never were the best of friends, but over the past few years that feeling seemed to elevate for some reason. Unspoken hatred, maybe? I'm too lazy to analyze.

Phoebe responded for me. "She's having a party tonight, her first one of the year. And she's actually inviting everyone," and she knows me. So when she said the next part, I knew she knew my answer before I even said it.

"…Just like last year."

And, ladies and gentleman, I'll spare you of why that part was so important, for now anyway, but I'll just tell you, it's not because I didn't like the musical selection.

I scrunch my nose and just return to the non-existent game I was playing on my phone. "Yeah…no thanks Gerald. Rhonda can handle one less undesirable at her party. She won't even know I'm not there."

"You sure? Her guest of honor tonight is someone you'd probably wanna catch up with."

And just like that, that one element of my life that I ever allow to make a reappearance…reappeared.

I audibly sigh. "You mean Arnold?"

* * *

 _Arnold_

"Now, so you're telling me that once we take this picture it just all gets stored in your phone? I don't have to get them developed or anything?"

"No, mom. I mean, yeah we can get them developed but it's super easy to do it now. I can print them out from my computer. Or get prints."

"And I can take however many I want?"

"However many 50 gigs allow. Which is still a ton."

"Oh my gosh. Okay, Arnold, first thing we're doing once we get settled is getting me one of these smart phones."

This conversation was absolutely hilarious. We were now officially outside the airport, finally on the city concrete, and I was showing my mom how to take pictures on my phone. She was pretty much back to the future. All the technological advances in the past ten years would end up blowing her mind by the end of the day.

"Turn it sideways, baby girl, then we can get my beautiful face in there," Grandpa ushered in from behind us.

"Wait a second, let me get my good side in," followed Grandma, turning completely sideways. It was the first of many family photos to be taken, and living proof that I came back home with treasure.

"Alright guys," and I get them in closer. "In one, two, three, say mac n'…!"

"CHEESE!"

* * *

 _Helga_

The thing I hate about high school is that it drags on and on and on and on and on, until that one measly crappy period where you have only one year left and then suddenly everything wants to hype up into overdrive. I already had to turn in my fourth project today and it was only the third week of school! That's what I get for taking all these damn AP classes. Damn me for wanting to reach my potential and boost up my GPA and get into a good school far, far away from here…

At least I was right across the hall from Phoebe, and the other undesirables that probably wouldn't be attending Rhonda's party, like Sheena, Eugene, Curly…

I probably sound like such a cynic. I know Gerald thinks so, at least. I barely responded to when he asked me why I wouldn't want to go to Rhonda's party.

" _One of the only people you don't actually hate is coming back to town. I thought that would even make you smile."_

But he didn't know my rule. He didn't know how much it was a struggle not to want to claim my territory, to even assume I had a territory. I've conditioned my brain the past three years not to get my hopes up when it came to Arnold. So seeing him shouldn't be a big deal. I haven't said a word to the boy in almost three months, after all.

But I can't lie if I said that conversation didn't have me curious about someone…

After the final bell, I end up meeting Phoebe by her locker. "So what's your plan today Pheebs?"

"Work, sadly. I picked up a shift today at the Emporium. Tucker called out, and Park doesn't want to close by himself."

"Don't feel too bad, at least Big Bob isn't back from his vacation until tomorrow night. The tech knights can rest easy now."

We both laugh, "Thanks, Helga. That _does_ make me feel better."

Another thing about having a best friend is, is that if you pick the right one they're loyal as shit. Phoebe works part time at my dad's store as tech support, and was literally two steps away from turning in her resignation later when she heard about what happened.

About the…you know…affair.

But it took me a while to convince her that her job wasn't worth it. As much of a blow hard my dad was, the tech knight squad got paid really well, and I wasn't the only one with a plan to get out of here. Phoebe needed the money, too. Phoebe and Park were the only dudes I knew with the smarts, the balls, and the patience to work for my father. There was one other tech knight, but he…well, he had to turn in his sword for personal reasons.

She put the last of her books in her bag and we started walking to the doors. "So what are your plans tonight?" She asked, "Since you're not going to Rhonda's party?"

I hated nostalgia. I hated looking back. I hated the feeling of being caught in a time vortex where no one but me realized how finite and artificial the status quo makes them be. And going to Rhonda Wellington Lloyd's parties make me just like that. To a tee. But… I couldn't lie. There was some part of my past I wasn't ready to let go of yet.

"Actually Pheebs, there's someone I might actually need to visit today."

* * *

 _Arnold_

My feet felt so heavy, they were probably going to crack the top step. My chest was beating so much, I wanted to play a jazz track over it. I was biting the inside of my cheek so hard, I was probably going to start tasting blood in fifteen seconds.

I was home.

I was on my stoop.

I was on that ancient city marker: the boarding house between Lexington and Vine.

And I was with my mother.

Grandma and Grandpa were the first to speed past me.

"ALAS! WE HAVE CONQUERED OUR SEIGE OF THE NORTH!" And Grandma all but knocked down the door, allowing a mass stampede of various house pets to buckle out from under our feet.

"I CLAIM THIS LAND IN THE NAME OF SPAIN!"

And Grandpa was not too far behind her. "And while you're doing that, Pookie, I'm gonna claim my bathroom on the second floor. Watch out Shortman!"

So of course my grandparents breeze through the house as if nothing was new, but I needed a bit more time to soak things in. As soon as I took my first step through the door, I smiled: that creaky floorboard still sounded like a duck's call. It still smelled like the weird combination of sunflowers and mothballs. You could still hear the faint drips of the leaky faucet in the kitchen that hadn't been fixed in five years. Almost everything was exactly the same.

"Surprisingly it's super quiet," I turned to talk to my mom. "I wonder where everybody's…"

But when I look at her, I'm the quiet one now. It's like she changed the most once she stepped through those doors. She's paler, she's cautious in her steps, and she doesn't say a word to me.

"Mom?"

She made her way through the hall first, dragging a hand down every wall panel. She stopped at the living room corridor, as if something on the doorway caught her attention. All I can do is follow her; she's in another world now.

As creaky as these floors are, they didn't make a sound when she walked across them. It's eerie; as if she's a ghost that the house proudly welcomes to float down its halls. Or like she's a very piece of the house itself. She walked further into the living room, and stopped first at the couch, hunching over it for a bit and running her fingers through the tassels on the pillows. After squeezing it one more time, she went toward the bookshelf, eyeing the various family photos with meticulous care. She stared almost to the point where her nose touched the frames. I love the smile she makes when she lands on the one of me on my first birthday: cake in my hair and I don't care. Now that she was next to the photo, for some reason I could remember that day so much better… Mom was trying to feed me, and Dad was…just making silly faces making it worse…

But there was another picture my mom stopped at, one she grabbed off the shelf, and one she held onto the tightest. I swallow hard and make my way over to her.

"Welcome home, ma…" and I hold onto her shoulder as we look at the picture together. It felt like just by touching her, some of her color started to return and she smiled at me.

"Thanks, sweetheart." She looked at the photo once more. "You know, you're about just as tall as him, now."

"Good, I know my growth spurt had to kick in eventually."

"Yeah yeah," and she combs her fingers through my hair—hair which prooobably needed a haircut. "You're still my little boy, though."

"Haha, no complaints here!"

She gave me a quick hug before placing the picture down, then gave the room a last look. "It's weird, I don't remember it ever being this quiet. Where are the rest of the boarders?"

"Good quest—"

" _AW GODDANG IT! WOULD YOU LOOK AT THIS!? OSKAR YOU BUM! YOU SAID THEY WEREN'T COMING BACK TILL TOMORROW!"_

" _I SAID THEY WERE COMING ON THE THE 27_ _TH_ _! THAT'S WHAT THE MESSAGE SAID!"_

" _TODAY IS THE 27_ _TH,_ _YOU NUMB SKULL!"_

" _WELL YOU KNOW I'M NOT GOOD WITH CALENDARS!"_

Aaaand there it goes. The final piece to the puzzle: our boarders.

We see the rest of them walk into the hallway: Ernie yelling at Oskar, Oskar yelling at Ernie, Suzie yelling at Oskar, and…pretty much everyone yelling at Oskar. They're carrying some bags in their hands, and Ernie's wife and little girl are the last ones to make their way through the yelling crowd.

"Hey there, Arnold! Welcome back, it's so good to see you again! I apologize for the craziness behind me."

I smile and shrug it off as we walk back toward the hall. "No problem, Lola! The craziness is welcomed." I bend down once I see the little cuteness hide away behind her mom's dress. " _And is this little Lizzy I see?_ Remember me? I'm your friend Arnold!"

"Go ahead, Lizzy, go say hi to Arnold," Lola ushered. It takes a while but after my extended hand starts to tire, little Elizabeth finally teeters her way toward me. "Ahno?"

Holy crap, she can say my name now! I couldn't help but cheese at my mom and the other boarders before looking back at her. Her and her curly hair of cuteness. I don't know why I love kids so much. They just get me.

"Yeah, Ahno! Hi, Lizzy!"

She walks more to me and holds out her arms, and with silent permission from her parents I pick her up. She had her dad's curly brown hair but thankfully her mom's everything else. The last time I saw her was the morning I left for South America. She was only a few months old and had the biggest brown eyes I had ever seen on anything. And she still does.

"Wow, she's gotten so big!" I say to the others. But she suddenly makes a pull to my hair and starts patting my face.

"Football! Football!"

"And such…great vocabulary…"

My mom laughed while gracefully rubbing Lizzy's back. "That's right! He's got a football head doesn't he? It runs in the family! Don't worry, he's growing into it!"

Ernie laughs and makes his way closer to us. "Sorry about that Arnold, we've been teaching Lizzy shapes."

"It's no problem," which it wasn't. Thanks so some pigtail headed girl from my past, football head themed jokes no longer took a toll on me.

"Your mom is right, though, Arnold," Suzie was next to join in, "you guys do look just alike!"

Mom stopped playing with Lizzy to walk over and shake everyone's hand. "That's right, hahaha. Hi, I'm Stella, and I take responsibility for this guy right here."

My smile grew. It was finally happening. The world was finally being exposed to the awesomeness that is my mom. Take that, Parent's Day.

"Ohhhhh," Oskar approached her next. "So you're the mom that came out the coma, right? Did you stop aging or something—

"OSKAR!" And Suzie was way ahead of everyone and was the first to give him a hit over the head.

My mom just passed it off. "It's okay, it's okay! Yes, I'm the coma lady. But I'm happy to be back home now, happy to be with my boy, and happy to get to know all of you."

"Well we're happy that you're here," Ernie offered. "There's more than enough room for you. And if there's not, we'll just kick Oskar out, easy fix!"

"Hey, you tiny tiny man! I pay my rent just like everybody else!"

"BARELY!"

And as they all began the routine of their constant bickering, Suzie and Lola went to sit on the couch to get a real introduction of my mom. I smiled again, they were in for the treat of a lifetime.

"Is that Oskar I hear down there!?" Grandpa suddenly made his way down the steps to add to the plethora of noise. "Oskar did you use my private bathroom and forget to stock up my toilet paper!?"

Just as I was about to settle down on the couch for the first time in three years, the doorbell rang.

"Dang it, who could that be!" Grandpa stopped at the door before heading towards the living room.

"So Arnold," Suzie started once I sat down with Lizzy, "are you excited to see all your friends again? You know, one of your friends' mom actually lives here now."

Well, that was a shock. One of my friends? No one told me that from the emails. "Really? Who?"

But before she could say, Grandpa made his way back to the living room. "Hey Shortman! You'll never guess who came to visit you! Come and say hey to your little friend! I haven't seen this face in three years, I tell ya!"

And…I won't lie. That sinking feeling in my feet, that banging feeling in my chest, the sore in my cheek from biting down too hard, all made its way back as I stood up and saw who was around the corner.

If there was any doubt in my mind that I wasn't back home yet, it all got flushed away as soon as I heard,

"Sup, Football Head."


	3. Home Was Always Quiet

_**Home Was Always Quiet Till the Sun Went Down**_

* * *

 _Helga_

Regret was a funny thing. Acknowledging that you regret something doesn't do shit, except maybe give your conscious a five minute cat nap. Working through regret and conquering regret took action. You _have_ to do something about it. You have to be man, or woman, or _human_ enough to accept your flaws and misgivings, and go about a new change for pure selfless reasons. Sometimes, I could be an asshole, and I could be stupid, and I could be stubborn. But for all the regret I felt when it came to a certain someone, this was the year that I finally felt like doing something about it. Not for me, but for him.

At first I never would have imagined visiting this guy. This little enigma that had, unbeknownst to me, become such a staple in my childhood. He was always, just…well, _there_. Whether I wanted him to be or not. Didn't matter how much I would bully him, how much I would pretend he wouldn't exist, he was always a constant.

It took me a heck load of time to finally realize that, and almost even longer to finally do something about it.

So at first, when we all found out what happened, I could've been like the other kids and just passed it off as another unfortunate incident, and only talk about it in passing, but for some reason, I couldn't. I couldn't let him go, I couldn't ignore my regret, and I just had to finally answer karma's letter and give back all the good fortune I took away from him.

After getting a thumbs up of approval from the busy nurse on the phone, I made my way down to the halls of Hillwood Medical and landed on 14-C. I knocked on the door in a sporadic rhythm and poked my head through the glass. Luckily, he wasn't asleep yet.

"Hey…Helga…" the forever nasally voice called out. I gave half a smile and finally stepped all the way inside.

"Sup, Brainy."

* * *

 _Arnold_

I didn't expect to see him so soon. I didn't know he would try to meet up with me until tomorrow. I could've sworn he would've been busy with football practice or something. Seeing him was just more confirmation that I was back, I was home, and was once again the football-shaped piece of the puzzle that could mesh back with the neighborhood.

I love Gerald, he's my best friend and he was one of the only people to keep in touch with me over the years. I missed his big-headed wisdom, his overly cool attitude, and the anchor that kept my imagination from roaming off too far.

But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed. I…was…am, and I don't know why and that's bugging the shit out of me.

Still, it's Gerald, and I need to quit inner monologuing and give my best friend a hug.

"Gerald? _Dude, what's up!?"_

"Just waiting on my main man to show some love! It's been three years, Arnold! What's up with you!?"

We don't waste time and approach each other for a hug. You know, the man-hug-back-clap-thing. Everyone shared their smiles as they watched our little reunion.

"You know, I don't like this," Gerald playfully sneered once he let go, "you're almost taller than me. You take some miracle drug in San Lorenzo or something?"

"Yeah," I laughed, "puberty."

"Well you ease up on that puberty drug. That is if you don't want the likes of these Hillwood girls all over you."

"You don't have to worry about that; all those Hillwood girls have to get past me first," and I hear my mom behind me, casually making her way over to get a formal introduction. Gerald automatically shifted. He stood up straight and cleared his throat and had his hands coyly behind his back. It was weird, as if he was speaking to the first lady or something. But I guess it was a good weird.

"So…Mrs. Shortman?"

"Mhm," she greets with really kind eyes, "and you must be Gerald. Last time I remember you, you were in diapers, giving your parents a hard time on the swing set."

His jaw slacked slightly and the cool slowly started to disappear. I try not to laugh. " _Whoa,_ you remember me?"

She smiled that cheeky grin of hers. "Of course, we could barely separate you two once upon a time. I'm glad to see nothing's changed," and she stepped forward to offer a hug of her own. Gerald accepted, timidly for some reason, and made sure to mouth to me, "holy cow," equipped with a big thumbs up. I hope that was a "congratulations on your mom being back" thumbs up and not a "holy cow your mom is fine as hell," thumbs up. I could never tell with him, and frankly I was too freaked out to think of the latter.

"It's such a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. S! Arnold's the luckiest kid I know to be able to have you back."

"Thank you, Gerald. We're turning into a really lucky family; I could get used to this."

My mom and my best friend were having a conversation. My grandparents were loud and the boarders were arguing and everything felt like it was shifting back to normal. But a _better_ normal. I lean across the back of the sofa and just…soak it all in.

Yeah, I could get used to this.

* * *

 _Helga_

Remember that list I had of people that I wanted to make sure knew where I ended up? Well, Brainy is on that list. I owe it to him to put him on there. Even though I'm not being a drama queen, and I know he wasn't in the place he was because of me, I still felt guilty, and I still wanted to make sure I showed him a little better that I considered him a friend.

At first visiting him in the hospital was out of guilt, I'm not gonna lie. This time last year was a smorgasbord of bullshit, but I was no better than the people around me. I was just as blind. Nobody knew Brainy was sick, and even though his friends new in general what he had, no one at all knew how severe it was. We always just said he talked weird cuz of asthma, there was a rumor in sixth grade that he had Aspergers, and the rest of us thought he was just naturally weird, but no one thought it was what it really was…

Leukemia.

Stage 4.

He was so young too, "a medical marvel". From what Brainy told me, doctors only focused on his asthma for so long they didn't find the cancer until it had spread too far.

So ever since last year, he's been cooped up in this hospital, and the sight of it just made me…tired.

I am a horrible, uninspiring person. But soon, the visits stopped being about guilt and started turning into something to look forward to. Brainy was like me, he didn't want anyone's pity, he didn't want his life to be a showcase of disasters. He just wanted to co-exist peacefully with the people he considered his friends.

And I'm just lucky that after what I did, he still considered me that.

He sat up a bit straighter and put down his video game. "I'm catching…them all…!"

I pull up one of the chairs and kick my feet back on the bed railing. "Catching them all? What kinda game is that?"

He tossed me his phone so I could see it better. We've learned a dynamic of not having to say too much. It was easier on his lungs when he didn't have to speak, even though sometimes talking was all he wanted to do.

"Star Catchers," he started. "Look…it up… So far… I have 3…"

"Huh…" I browse around the app and do a quick internet search from my phone. Turns out it was this new game that allowed people to find and collect all these little monsters and aliens based off an old Saturday morning cartoon. You can trade them, train them, evolve them, all that jazz. If only I was more into cartoons as a kid I would've known this existed before today.

"And how many exactly do you have to catch?"

"One thousand…thirty seven…!"

I dead pan. "…And you have three…"

But still he just smiled. "…Yup!"

I shrug and give him back his phone. "Well, good luck with that, Bucko. The only games I'll be playing is _'guess how many hours of sleep I get if I try to finish my Orwell report by tomorrow'_. And that'll probably only be three, too."

"AP Sucks…" he grimaced. "Mrs. Packadan sucks…"

"Oh yeah, I forgot you had her last year. Count yourself lucky you don't have to deal with her anymore."

He just nods and slinks back against his pillow, tapping away at his game. One thing I did like about talking to Brainy, is that he didn't linger on—ironically—when he felt a subject was done. As much as he liked to talk, to just _speak_ , he would always switch topics and not drag one on for too long.

"So…" he started up again. "Did you…see Arnold…?"

…

But sometimes that would backfire. And in that moment you didn't know how bad I just wanted him to go back to talking about Star Catchers.

* * *

 _Arnold_

"So you're going."

"I'm not going."

"But you're going."

"No, I'm not going."

"Ok, ok, I hear you… So you're going?"

"Uuuugh…"

We were in my room now, and Gerald was helping me unpack. Just opening my door and being greeted by the late afternoon sun from the skylight was cathartic. Everything was literally the same from how I left it. The little wastebasket by my desk still half full, my top blanket peeled back halfway, and you could still see the carpet lines from when I last vacuumed. Nothing changed. No one came in. And to be honest…I don't how I felt about that.

But I didn't have time to sit and reminisce, since Gerald wasn't here for no more than half an hour and already trying to drag me to a party.

"Just tell me why, man? Why don't you wanna go?" He kept egging as he tossed the last of my empty suit cases in my closet.

"Oh," I smirk, "you mean to the party I'm not going to?"

He sat down on my desk chair and tossed one of the crumbled up stationary notes to my head. " _Ha, ha_. But seriously, it'll be the perfect debut! Everyone can see you again."

"Is _everyone_ going?"

"Hell yeah. Well…mostly everyone. Rhonda throws a party like this every year where she actually invites everyone, so even for the people that don't like her, they still show up for the free rich people food."

I jump back into my bed and lean against my shelves, trying to get comfortable. Man…Gerald wasn't exaggerating. I really did grow. My legs were hanging off the sides and I probably couldn't lay straight anymore. I guess bed shopping will just have to be added to the list of things I can finally do with my mom.

But anyway, he still wasn't selling me on this party thing. "I 'dunno, man, I haven't heard from Rhonda in like a year. I'm surprised she still knows I exist."

But he laughed at that. "Wow, someone else almost literally told me the exact same thing today."

"From what I remember, she may secretly have more enemies than friends, soooo it doesn't surprise me."

He kept spinning in my chair as he talked. "Your ex is one of her best friends, though, and she's gonna be there with her _new man_. You're telling me you're not the least bit curious to know who it is?"

I frown, eyes falling to my backpack for no particular reason. "You're going to have to clarify on that, Gerald."

"Okay you know who I'm talking about, man. Miss _Lila Sawyer_ , you can't tell me you forgot about your first love already!"

First love…

Lila…

I shift some more so that I'm flat against my bed, staring up at my windows, trying to figure out exactly why that thought didn't sit so well. _First love?_ It was true, I was finally able to do the impossible and get her to go out with me in the 8th grade, and we had a very interesting nine month relationship. I met her dad, we won cutest couple in middle school, and before we broke up, she told me she loved me…

Hint: _before_ we broke up. I left Hillwood three years ago on relatively good terms with everyone, even her, but I wasn't surprised in the slightest when she would never reply to any of my group messages or emails. And I wouldn't be surprised if when I see her, I wouldn't get anything more than the obligatory "hi."

"Whoever Lila's dating now is her choice," I finally said. "I'm the one who ended things, and I was like, what? Fourteen? Why would I care who she's with? I'm sure they're great together."

But he still seemed unfazed and leaned forward to give me the most ominous stare. "Yeah? Not even if it's _Stinky_?"

…I pause. A lot. I try to start a sentence about three times, but nothing that I thought of was good enough to hide my shock. I finally sit up and shrug away my resolve.

"Okay. Maybe I'll stop by. Just for a bit."

* * *

 _Helga_

"Why are you asking bout Arnold?" I say as curtly as possible.

He tapped his screen for emphasis. "Email…"

I let out a big ass sigh. "Oh… His _grand gesture_. I guess you got it too."

He nodded and adjusted his glasses. "He doesn't know…I'm here…does he…?"

I shrug a bit as I tactfully try to avoid his gaze. "If he does know, it wasn't from me. I didn't know if you wanted to, um… spread it around," I tell a half-truth.

He nodded again, but slower this time, and I definitely notice his crooked little smile as he started to talk again. "Dumb move, Pataki… You should've…"

"Should've what? Told him? Well sorrrryyy for not putting your personal business out there like that, bucko."

But he stopped me. "Nooo… You should've… went there…not here…

 _Go see him…_ "

Go see him? What was his game here? Chivalry or masochism? Brainy made it very clear to me about his feelings. Even though that was a year ago, I still wasn't quite sure where he stood, so I would always try my best to avoid such conversations, conversations that would bring up _you-know-who_. Too bad Brainy wasn't on the same page about that, apparently. "What are you, my shrink?"

He nodded again. "He's cool…" he shrugged. "He would care…that I'm here…"

"I thought you hated him?" Which I did.

"Hating's stupid…" then he gives another lazy smile. "You like him…always have… You're stupid…for not talking to him…"

Brainy was a lot ballsier than people would give him credit for. I wonder if he talked to Eugene and Curly and Sheena and his other friends the way he would talk to me sometimes. The dude talks like .5 miles an hour, and I still couldn't get a word in edge-wise as he kept telling me off. 'The hell does he think he is, anyway?

But the idiot had a point. Was I going to tell him that? Nah. But for the record, he was right.

I was stupid. And I was going to remain stupid for the next few days, because I still wasn't ready to see Arnold, and for all I knew, he wouldn't want to see me.

* * *

 _Arnold_

Before I left, I had to say bye to my mom. I had to make sure she would be okay, her first night back home by herself…

Okay, so she wasn't by herself, and she wasn't a little kid, but I earned my right to worry, and I didn't want her to feel like she was being cheated out of time with me. I asked Gerald to wait for me outside as I searched for her.

The boarders made sure a room closest to the stairs was available for her, but when I went inside, it was all empty. Her lone little suitcase still laid untouched on her bed. Curious, I make my way down to my grandparents' room, thinking they'd know where she went off to.

"Grandma? Grandpa?" I call once I open their door. "Have you seen…?"

But I didn't need to ask anymore.

My mom was there, all there, and laid herself across Grandpa's lap as she slept. She was grown, she was strong, and she was brave, but right now, as Grandpa was combing pale fingers through her hair, she was a child, she was exhausted, and _she_ needed the parent.

Grandpa smiled and ushered me in. I feel weird, as if I'm intruding, but he keeps calling so I make my way in anyway.

I carefully sit at the edge of the bed so I don't move her. She was so still, so quiet. It took all I had not to check her pulse to make sure she was still breathing. But Grandpa just squeezed my shoulder.

"It's okay, Shortman. Your mom's just tired, is all. This little lady had quite the adventure coming back here. She took her medicine and it's time for her rest up. She's gonna be right back to kicking butt in a few hours."

I grazed her cheek, just barely, with my finger. "Now I feel so bad, Gramps. Gerald wants me to go see the others, but I don't know if I wanna leave her yet…"

"You're not leaving her anywhere, Arnold! She's home now, and she's resting right here with me and Pookie, and we beat the pants out of that old pasty shrimp-for-brains doctor of hers! Besides, you're mom already figured you were gonna meet your friends tonight and she's fine with it. And to be honest, she didn't want you to know how tired she was. So go head, live it up! Go have fun with your little friends. Your mom's going to be here when you get back."

I can't take my eyes off of her as Grandpa talks. I knew he was right. She had a mutation of the sleeping sickness, and even though the medicine was fighting it and keeping it in check, she still wasn't completely cured. I knew she had to be tired, I just didn't want to…think about it?

I don't want her to be sick anymore.

But she is home. That's the most important thing. And we can't squeeze seventeen years in a day. We need to take our time with each other. I need to let her rest.

I lean forward to give her a quick kiss on the top of her head and make my way off of the mattress.

"Alright, Grandpa," I force a smile. "I'll leave you guys to it. I'm gonna meet Gerald downstairs, but I promise I won't be out late."

He just playfully shooed me away. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, no drinking, no driving, no poisonous elixirs, all that jazz. Now off with ya! Go have some fun, boy!"

I can't help but laugh as I make my way out. "Whatever you say, Grandpa."

* * *

 _Helga_

Soon it was time for me to go. My ride was here.

And thankfully Brainy didn't stay on the Arnold subject for too long. He still thought I should go visit him, or go to the party I swore up and down I wasn't going to go to, but he didn't pry after my third "no." He just told me to download that Star Catchers game, then waved goodbye once the nurse sent me off.

My ride was my mom. My six-months-sober mom. My newly-separated-for-the-last-time Mom. She finally came back from the summer vacation she had at my grandparents' cabin, and based on the text she sent me earlier, she finally found a place to stay.

Because it definitely wasn't going to be at home with Bob. Or me…

"Helga honeeey, oh! How are youuu!" She crooned in that annoying way and gave me hug once I got inside the car. I amicably hug back and try to sound as neutral as possible. "Oh I'm fine, Mom. How was Oakmont?"

She smiled as she started the car back up and drove out the hospital parking lot. "Oh it was amazing! The view of the lake from Mom's window is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life! And Daddy was actually more cheerful this time around. He would grill out in the back almost every night. I got to sit by the fire, read my book, did some gardening…it was exactly what I needed, Helga…"

It sounded like a blast, but it also left a bad taste in my mouth for some reason. Miriam did come back different. She could actually speak without slurring her words again, which was nice, and she cut her hair while she was gone, having her blonde locks stop right at the back of her neck. She was a bit tanner, and she lost a few pounds. I gave a wry smile. She was off having the retreat of a lifetime, and I was stuck here…with Bob…

"Glad to hear it, Mom," I say anyway, suctioning my head to the glass as I stared out the window. "You said you found a place to stay too?"

Her smile grew again. "Yes! It's not too far from you, and they had a great move in special for my rent! I start my job at the hotel next week, so I'm glad I can get settled in beforehand. I can't wait for you to see it!"

"Great…" I deadpan. I don't really have much to say, so for most of the ride we sit in traffic, in silence. I think she's gotten used to it, because where she used to pry me open for a conversation topic every thirty seconds, now she just sits and hums and keeps to herself.

But she eventually starts to talk again.

"So Helga, have you talked to your sister lately?"

I shrug against my seatbelt. "Not really. She called me a few days ago but that was just to check up on me."

"Well!" And her voice raised another octave. "It's little Maggie's birthday tomorrow, so she wanted to see if I wanted to drive up there. She said she wanted to ask you, but wasn't sure if you'd be busy with school."

Maggie. It surprises me how much I love that kid. Olga may have been an annoying prissy pants, but her daughter had a lot of spunk for a two year old and was always the highlight of my forced visits. Olga was smart, though. She left the city, she got married and had a kid, and could officially concentrate on her own family without dealing with the day-to-day screw ups of this one. Even though she was only a few hours away, I couldn't help but think I was still alone here, left to deal with my parents' broken pieces.

But still, I loved little Maggie. And not being in Hillwood this weekend for _any reason_ was a good enough reason for me. So I think I surprised my mom when I accepted the offer so quickly.

"Yeah, sure, I'll come too."

She beamed. "Really!? Oh, Helga, that's great! You can help me unpack a bit and I can come get you in the morning! Or you can just stay the night with me! We'll have our own little slumber party!"

I heavily roll my eyes, but I can't lie, it was kinda funny. My mom finds the smallest things to latch onto and makes a big deal about. We finally break traffic and ride down a familiar neighborhood. I took a look at all the city markers as the car starts to slow down.

The Civic Center…

P.S. 118…

Mr. Green's Meats…

Ms. Vitello's Flower Shop…

All of it, just was coated and coated with _familiarity…_

But why was my stomach starting to churn so bad…?

I read the sign as we turn a final corner and the car slows to a stop.

"Lexington…"

…

 _Holy mother of molasses, son of a bitch!_

"Mom…?" I call as cautiously as I can. "Is this where…where you're staying?"

She nods as she unbuckles her seatbelt. "Yup! Say hello to the Sunset Arms!"

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you so much to those that are taking a chance on this story. I'm really excited for the next few chapters, because you'll start to learn Arnold's point of view when it comes to seeing his friends, and more pieces will be revealed as to what exactly happened between him and Helga. Also, Brainy will probably be my favorite character to write for. He has a very big role in this story. Thanks so much! See you guys soon!**


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